The Gold Cup

The Gold Cup

THE original intention of Mid-Cheshire M.R.C. was to run this year’s Gold Cup race for Formula One cars with a few Formula Twos to make up the field. But with the race following a week after the rigours of M011″1.3 only six al the larger capacity were entered and half that number were presented for scrutineering. In contrast, most of the best 17.2 cars turned up, including the French Matras, to make a field of eighteen cars. Practice showed that around the twists and turns of Outton Park there is little between the two formulae ho’ although Brabham with his regular Brabham-Repco 3-litre was the fastest in practice. Stewart in Ken Tyrrell’s Matra-Cosworth was only a second slower.

Stewart it was who took the early lead with Brabham right on his tail, and for six laps the Scotsman kept the Formula One car at bay. From then on it was Brabham all the way, with Stewart keeping him in sight for the remainder of the 45 laps to finish 5.4 sec. behind. Gardner, who was having his only Formula One race of the year, had a dismal time for hit.: practice was plagued with ignition bathers and the trouble recurred in the race after to laps when lying third. His retirement elevated the scrap for the next position which was the highlight of the race. Hill (Lotus 48), Rindt (Brabhatn), and the Matras of BeltoiSe, Schlesser and Ickx continually changed places. relax fell out when he was forced to leave the track in avoiding the only other Formula One car, Pitt with a Brabham-Climax, but the others continued to hattle to the end. Hill took the verdict from Schlesser. Beltoise and Rindt. Rees was sixth alter a race-long duel with Ilenri Pescarolo, who has won a lot of races for the Matra P.3 team this year. 1.ambett having his first race since Rouen seemed all set to take ninth spot and be the first independent home but ran out of fuel a couple of laps front the end, leaving the honours to Rollinson’s McLaren. On the last lap Brabham broke his own outright lap record, while earlier Sti:Willt had set up a new F.2 best. Results : 1st • J. lir:OM:Int Airahharn-Repeb Icr24-1 (Ent rant ; Brahham Racimz Org. 1 Ad.:. T hr. TO min. 07.0 SCV.-t11.LO k.p.h. 006.37 m.p.h.) and J. Stewas t .NIaira-t:ose,orth MS7, (Entrant: Tyrrell Racing Org. 1.td, i hr. to min. 12.4 scc.-17o.85t tc.pb. rioti.ta 3rd : 1 lilt ..Lotits-Cosworth .18) (Entrant : Team I astus 4th : J. S. h!esset ‘A.I.atrit.-t.:osworth MS5} ,’Emtrant: Ecuric

Imrd Fram.c., . . sth : j-1′. ..S.latra.Cosworth MS5) (Entrant: Matra 6Th : J. Limit Brahharn-Cosworth BT23) (IMtrant: Roy t•N’inkdnutin Ra,ing 7th : A, Rees Itrahhant-t. :nsworth (Entrant: Roy N.Vink,Ittianti (,1, 11m I LI. . .. • • . • 44 14PS 8th : II. re-:carol° M3tr.t-Coswmth MS5) (Entrant : Ivlatra Sports 44 iaps 9th A. Rollim..at sF Laren-Cusworlh T Entrant : Frank I yth;me Racmg I .h1.) • • • • • .13 13Os toth Stfflet • Conpt:i -Cmworth TTC) (Entrant: Gerard-Cooper , . .ta laps Fost.,,t Formula one : t min. 11.6 sec. tML 51 m.p.h.,. Formula “rwm: Stewart. I min. 32.8 see. 007.. it • • •

Completing the (33.!.. were 3 couple of races which were the penultimate round of the B.R.S.C.C. Saloon Car Championship for Grtaup 5 r irs H one tOr larger ears. was Won by Garklner in Alan Mann’s Ford Faleon, with the t,3oo-.1,000 c.c. class going to Elford’s Porsthe 91 t after the Team Lotus cars of Ickx and Hill crashed.

hr. to min._544,sec. I hr. io mitt. sa.0 see: ht. ii mm. 07.6 Set:.

t hr. it min, t sec.

The works Cooper Minis of Rhodes. and Handley tdOla the first two places in the up-to-1,300 c.c. event after Craft’s Superspeed Anglia retired when in the lead two laps from the end. Fitzpatrick won the r,000-c.c. class with his Broadspeed Anglia, and the results virtually assure Gardner of the Championship.

The Group 4 (Sports Cars-5o off) saw -a tremendous battle between Hawkins’ Ford GT40, handicapped for most of the distanceby a broken valve spring, and the Ferrari LMs of Piper and Attwood ; the trio finished in the given order after a masterly drive by Hawkins. During the lunch interval Jackie Stewart enjr:yed himself immensely. by lapping in a V16 B.R.M.—A. R. M.

BRIGHTON SPEED TRIALS

The Brighton Speed Trials; run along the Marine Parade on September t6th, saw John Woolfe set first and second hest car times over the standing kilimnetre course. Hhi racing 7-litre Cobra did 22.51 sec., compared with the 23.38 sec. of his 7-litre road-goina car. Lord Cross’s 4.7 Cobra was third overall with 24.63 sec. But none of these times co.uld compare With the 29.85 sec. achieved by the coo-c.c. Torquemada t motorcycle of P. Manzano, who was credited with overall B.T.1). The Bentley Drivers’ Invitation class was won by S. E. Sears • in a 1931 8-litre, which did 28.92 sec. ‘fele weather was dry and calm, although overcast, and George Brown’s motorcycle time of 19.29 See. With his Vincent still stands,.

HILL-CLIMB CHAMPIONS

‘I’1-1E two important hill-climb championships, European and British, have been won by established stars in the face of strong opposition from newcomers. In England Tony Marsh made a rare viSit tO Harewood to clinch the title for the third year running, while main challenger Bryan Eccles almost ruined Isis chances with a prams at the penultimate meeting at Prescott. His Brabham-Oldsmobile was quickly repaired by the Brabham works but Eccles just could not gat near enough to Marsh, despite the first four all breaking the hill recir,I. Marsh’s car is one Re has designed and constructed on Ms own and uses a four-wheel-drive system designed by himself. Such was the success of the car, which was only started about a year ago5 that many British hill-climbers are seriously thitaking that four-wheel-drive is a must for the next series,

In Europe all the success has been achieved by Porsche, whose rather fragile ma…seaters have won every round of the Mountain Championship. But the sueceas has beets shared between Gerhard Mitter.and -a newcomer, Roll’ Stommelen, Mitten just pipping his team -mat.t by virtue of a technical point.The Championship has been poorly supported this year, apart Irons by the Zuffenhamen firm, although there was halfhearted participation by Abarth; .Autodelta (with Alfa Romeo 335:,, Ferrari and B.M.W. (with cars constructed by Lola and powerVd by 2-litre versions 01the Apfelbeek F.2 engine.

GRIT !

As far as I know 1 have never done any harm to the driver or owners of lorry, Reg. No. FILM 285C. 1 am, therefore, curious to know why it bombarded the Rover I was’ driving with a fusillade of pebbles, one of which scored a direct and noisy hit, as I VaS dria’ing to the onic.-: in September 1st, not to rot. 1st tilts trying 1:0′ Smoilwr me With dirty water and diesel smoke ?—W. B.